1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to seats and, more specifically, to seats which conform to the shape of the user.
2. State of the Art
In the seating industry, various types of seats have been developed to increase the comfort of the user, particularly in the lumbar region of the back. Such seats are particularly designed for use in motor vehicles, such as automobiles or trucks. These seats are provided with special configurations, areas of extra padding, springs, resilient or inflatable members, etc., which conform the shape of the seat more closely to the particular shape of the user.
The conformability of such previously devised seats is obtained through manual adjustments or automatically via electrically driven means. Typically, such automatic adjusting conformable seats automatically adjust to a fixed shape, even if the fixed shape is controlled by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,992 issued to L. LaSota, the inventor of the present invention, discloses a conformable seat which automatically conforms to the shape and size of a user. In this conformable seat, a plurality of flexible belts extend laterally across a seat frame. Sensors detect the shape and position of a user of the seat and provide signals to a control unit which activates sliders mounted in channels on the sides of the frame to adjust the tension in each belt sequentially along the length of the seat to secure the belts to the exact shape and position of the user of the seat.
While this conformable seat uniquely provides a seat which conforms to the shape, size and position of a user, it has been found that certain improvements could be made to improve is operation, decrease its conforming cycle time and to reduce the complexity and number of separate components required for its construction.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a conformable seat which conforms exactly to the shape, size and position of the user. It would also be desirable to provide a conformable seat which quickly completes its conformability cycle. It would also be desirable to provide a conformable seat which conforms to many different sizes, shapes and weights of users and to any position of the user on the seat.